Title:
Chief, Division of General Comprehensive Neurology
Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Richard Ferguson received his medical degree, summa cum laude, from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. He subsequently completed an internship in internal medicine at Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester before returning to Buffalo to complete residencies in Internal Medicine and Neurology, where he was Chief Resident in both programs. He completed a fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at the University of Rochester. In 1995, Dr. Ferguson embarked on a 30-year journey to provide general neurology services to the residents of Western New York in a solo private practice in the historic town of East Aurora, 30 miles south of Buffalo. He regards the close relationships he had with his patients, many developed over the course of three decades, to have been especially rewarding. He was named a Top Doc by Buffalo Spree magazine for 2024 and 2025.
At the same time, he maintained active involvement in patient care, clinical research, education and administration through the University at Buffalo. He was Chief of Neurology at Millard Fillmore Gates (MFG) Hospital and worked closely with the UB Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery to develop what would become the busiest stroke service in New York State and a world-renowned cerebrovascular center. With the closure of MFG and the rolling of its neuroscience services into the Gates Vascular Institute at Buffalo General Medical Center, Dr. Ferguson was recruited to Erie County Medical Center, the government-supported safety-net, behavioral health and Level I Trauma Center for Western New York, to be its Chief of Neurology and Director of Stroke. There he developed a department providing the full complement of clinical neurophysiology, outpatient, inpatient, critical care and American Heart Association Gold Plus stroke services to historically underserved residents of Western New York, including those who were refugees, incarcerated, un-insured and under-insured. During that time, he was active on the EEG reading panel and the sole provider of inpatient EMG services. He served in that role until 2024 when he accepted his current position at the University of Pittsburgh. He has served as principal investigator on stroke prevention trials and has been continuously involved in both in- and outpatient resident and medical student education, having been a preceptor in UB Neurology Resident continuity clinics continuously for 30 years.
Dr. Ferguson completed the Physician Executive MBA degree program at Auburn University where he received advanced training in quality improvement and attained a Six Sigma Green Belt. He completed an advanced graduate certificate in Healthcare Analytics from the University of California at Davis. He was a member of the inaugural cohort of the American Academy of Neurology Transforming Leaders program. He completed a masters degree in Bioethics at The Ohio State University and writes about ethical issues in medicine and neurology.
The ability to assist those with neurologic disorders, including those who frequently experience barriers to expert and personalized care whether in a rural area or the inner city, and to assist in designing and building systems to provide that care, while educating the next generation of general and subspecialty neurologists, has been the privilege of his career.
Education and Training:
- MA, Bioethics, The Ohio State University
- Advanced Graduate Certificate, Healthcare Analytics, University of California at Davis
- Transforming Leaders Program, American Academy of Neurology
- MBA, Auburn University
- Six Sigma Green Belt, Auburn University
- Fellow, Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Rochester
- Chief Resident, Neurology, University at Buffalo
- Resident, Neurology, University at Buffalo
- Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, University at Buffalo
- Resident, Internal Medicine, University at Buffalo
- Intern, Internal Medicine, University of Rochester
- MD, University at Buffalo, summa cum laude, Thesis Honors
Board Certifications
- American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry: Neuromuscular Medicine
- American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry: Vascular Neurology
- American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry: Clinical Neurophysiology
- American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry: Neurology
- American Board of Internal Medicine: Internal Medicine
- American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Honors and Awards:
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
- Beta Gamma Sigma, National Business Honor Society
- Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society
- Top Doctor Western New York, Buffalo Spree magazine
- Fellow, American College of Physicians
- Fellow, American Academy of Neurology
- Fellow, American Association of Electrodiagnostic and Neuromuscular Medicine
- Fellow, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
